The holiday season can be a mixed bag for so many of us. It’s often connected with deep emotional layers and depending on the year; it can feel different each time it comes around. It creeps up for all working parents who are juggling the demands of both career and family, in addition to the holiday stress that often accompanies this time of year. Many are left scrambling for gifts, doing late Amazon orders, and running around in “serve, serve, serve” mode.
But, are we really “PRESENT” to enjoy the season through our children’s eyes? This year, let’s go into the holiday season with more EASE and PRESENCE. With this intentional mindset, you can prioritize what is important to you while also honoring your own needs as well as those in your family, in turn avoiding holiday stress.
Take a look at these simple tips that will guide you through the season with more joy, presence, and love so you can set yourself and your family up for holiday success!
Embrace Feelings & Avoid Holiday Stress
Start by choosing 1 feeling you want to embrace during this holiday season. This will be the MAIN feeling you will focus on. I am going to use the feeling of “ease,” as an example when walking through these 6 tips to move through the holidays with intention.
1: Choose you first.
- With the feeling of ease in mind, consider putting ONE THING on the calendar that is special or means something to YOU.
- Take Action: Arrange for that on your calendar.
2: Be an OBSERVER.
- The holidays bring up a myriad of emotions for many each year. Whether it’s where you spend the holidays or how you feel about them. This season, can you decide to be an observer and not a participant in whatever happens? This creates less energy.
- Take Action: Just decide to be okay with it. No resistance. In the scheme of life, you can put a ‘time limit’ on an event or not attend if that will ease your holiday stress.
3: Stay home with your family.
- This one is likely radically uncomfortable for most and may not go over well but it’s one that YOU get to decide. Some years are exhausting, some years are “good” years in our eyes, and other years not so much.
- Take Action: Sometimes taking the moment to decide what is right for you and your family can make a world of a difference for your own mental and emotional health. Blood-related family or not, sometimes it’s just nice to just stay home for ease and relaxation.
4: What can I let go of? And invite only the JOY IN.
- Is it necessary to go through the same thing this year gift-giving wise, holiday cards, hosting, or prep? Again, consider the feeling of ease so you can enjoy the magical season.
- Take Action: How can I invite some ease in the process?
- Take out/ catering?
- Simple gifts or maybe paired down, such as just for the kids this year
- Skip the cards
- Don’t over-schedule myself in November and December with events (pick 1 or 2)
5: Can I outsource anything to steer clear of holiday stress?
- Is there anything that I can outsource so I can be more present with family or slow down?
- Take Action: If it’s possible, make a list and see if you can enlist a “helper” and if not, maybe just skip some of these things off the list entirely. Maybe your helper is a babysitter, your husband taking on some of the errands, or a household manager.
6: What can I do as a pre-decision?
- It’s a freeing exercise to see where you can “box” up and put things on autopilot.
- Take Action with the feeling of ease: Online grocery order, put everything in cart (80%) and then maybe you only have to pick up a small percentage of specific items. You can also ask people to send you links of gifts and bundle it together. Keep it simple!
In summary, you get to decide how you want to move through your holiday season. Keep the things that are “Joy” and “box” up and put on autopilot things that you don’t have to crunch all day as “additional” work. With each of these it takes mental and emotional energy. Decide early how you want your season to flow, with holiday stress or with ease. I am here to support you; to learn more about 1-1 coaching services please contact me at christine@christineanastasia.com.
About The Author
Christine Anastasia is a Master Certified Life Coach and also a young working parent. She is a mom of three, Emma (6), Zoe (3), and Alexander (1). Her coaching services and workshops help new and seasoned parents who are juggling work and raising a family. At their core, all parents want to be the best versions of themselves. She helps them prioritize their well-being so they can thrive. www.christineanastasia.com
